But turned his back for fear, and fled amain. } With him fled Orneus, with like dread possessed; Thaumas and Medon, wounded in the breast, And Mermeros, in the late race renowned, Now limping ran, and tardy with his wound. Pholus and Melaneus from fight withdrew, And Abas maimed, who boars encountering slew; And augur Astylos, whose art in vain } From fight dissuaded the four-footed train, } Now beat the hoof with Nessus on the plain; } But to his fellow cried, Be safely slow; Thy death deferred is due to great Alcides' bow.-- Meantime, strong Dryas urged his chance so well, That Lycidas, Areos, Imbreus fell; All, one by one, and fighting face to face: Crenæus fled, to fall with more disgrace; For, fearful while he looked behind, he bore, Betwixt his nose and front, the blow before. Amid the noise and tumult of the fray, Snoring and drunk with wine, Aphidas lay. Even then the bowl within his hand he kept, And on a bear's rough hide securely slept. Him Phorbas with his flying dart transfixed; Take thy next draught with Stygian waters mixed, And sleep thy fill, the insulting victor cried; Surprised with death unfelt, the Centaur died: The ruddy vomit, as he breathed his soul, Repassed his throat, and filled his empty bowl. I saw Petræus' arms employed around A well-grown oak, to root it from the ground. This way, and that, he wrenched the fibrous bands; The trunk was like a sapling in his hands, And still obeyed the bent; while thus he stood, Perithous' dart drove on, and nailed him to the wood. Lycus and Chromys fell, by him oppressed: Helops and Dictys added to the rest A nobler palm: Helops, through either ear Transfixed, received the penetrating spear. This Dictys saw; and, seized with sudden fright, } Leapt headlong from the hill of steepy height, } And crushed an ash beneath, that could not bear his weight. } The shattered tree receives his fall, and strikes, Within his full-blown paunch, the sharpened spikes. Strong Aphareus had heaved a mighty stone, The fragment of a rock, and would have thrown; But Theseus, with a club of hardened oak, } The cubit-bone of the bold Centaur broke, } And left him maimed, nor seconded the stroke; } Then leapt on tall Bianor's back; (who bore No mortal burden but his own, before,) Pressed with his knees his sides; the double man, His speed with spurs increased, unwilling ran. One hand the hero fastened on his locks; His other plyed him with repeated strokes. The club hung round his ears, and battered brows; He falls; and, lashing up his heels, his rider throws. The same Herculean arms Nedymnus wound, And lay by him Lycotas on the ground;